In the build-up it was described as a fixture that belonged in Europe's premier club competition, kicking-off at 8pm on either a Tuesday or Wednesday evening.
Instead, Manchester United and Barcelona, both looking to rediscover their places at European football's top table, went toe-to-toe at 5:45pm on a Thursday teatime. But despite it being a tie that will decide who reaches the last-16 of the Europa League, you would never have guessed it with the quality that was on show and the intensity that the game was played at. It was a European classic.
With United's travelling contingent up in the gods hoping to witness a result that they would be able to tell their children and their grandchildren about in years to come, Erik ten Hag, before the first ball had even been kicked, made it clear that he and his players would be doing their utmost to create a lasting memory. He confirmed that United had arrived at Camp Nou, a stadium considered European football's greatest cathedral, to go toe to toe with La Liga's pacesetters.
